iPhone Archives - Page 16 of 37

More iPad 2 Lines Today

With new shipments arriving at select Apple Store locations today, gear heads lined up at New York and San Francisco stores for a second chance at an iPad 2. That’s pretty nuts. In an investor note, Ticonderoga Securities’ Brian White said:

The lines to buy the iPad 2 in New York City and San Francisco were again quite a spectacle this morning, a trend we believe will occur throughout the week. In New York City, three of the four stores already sold out of the iPad 2 in the first couple of hours this morning, and tickets were handed out at the flagship store to help people avoid waiting in line unnecessarily.

Additionally, the flagship San Francisco store opened an hour early and was also handing out tickets to a line of well over 400 people. Those at the end of this line were told the likelihood of getting an iPad 2 this morning were slim.

Launch lines are completely common, but four-days-after-launch lines are pretty remarkable. At this rate, I’m thinking about picking up a few units to flip on eBay. (I know you’re not supposed to do that, but I’m poor. Ha!) With the iPad 2 set to launch globally at the end of the month, it looks like supply issues will continue for a long time.

What do you make of the iPad 2’s initial success? Is it crazier than you thought it would be?

Source

Today’s Poll: Apple iPad 2 Launch vs. Nintendo 3DS Launch

The Apple iPad 2 launched last Friday and some analysts believe that nearly one-million units were sold over the weekend. Later this month, the Nintendo 3DS will launch and demand is expected to be similarly crazy. Which product will have the more impressive launch week? On one hand, the iPad 2 has a broader appeal since it’s a multifaceted device that offers excellent browsing, decent gaming, and fantastic media consumption. The Nintendo 3DS is also multifaceted, but its focus is on gaming. It also has the allure of 3D and a lower price point. Which company will sell more in week one? Take today’s poll and state your case (please)!

[poll id=”106″]

Coffee Talk #316: Your Worst Launch Experience

I got to see the dark side of a big product launch as I was snapping pictures and getting quotes for a magazine article on the iPad 2 launch. At two Los Angeles Apple Stores, I interviewed a bunch of people that…

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Sergio Martinez gunning for boxing’s pound-for-pound best distinction, Intelligentsia’s Anjilanaka Organic Bolivia, or the global impact of a nuclear reactor meltdown in Japan, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

The launch of a hot consumer electronics device always leaves thousands of people happy…and thousands of people disappointed, angry, or sad. I got to see the dark side of a big product launch as I was snapping pictures and getting quotes for a magazine article on the iPad 2 launch. At two Los Angeles Apple Stores, I interviewed a bunch of people that waited in line for hours and were not able to get the iPad 2 model they wanted. All of them were pissed off about wasting their time.

Even online shoppers were angry. When the iPad 2 launched a tad before 1:00AM on March 11, 2011, it had an estimated ship date of three to five days. After a couple of hours the wait increased to three to four weeks. People that were hoping to avoid lines at retail stores on day one now had the lovely option of waiting until April for an iPad 2. To be fair, I’m pretty sure that the estimated ship dates are being exaggerated so that Apple has some wiggle room. Additionally, new iPad 2 shipments should be arriving daily to Apple Stores, Best Buy, AT&T stores, Verizon stores, etc., so brick-and-mortar supply should be reasonable before April.

The bottom line (which is funny for Coffee Talk 3:16) is that while hundreds of thousands of people are happy with their new iPads, there are thousands of people that are pissed off with the way Apple handled the launch.

Out of curiosity, what was your worst launch experience? Did you wait in line for a PlayStation 2 or an iPhone 3GS? Did you scour online retailers to get a new console when stores were sold out? Or have you never had a launch experience since you were happy to wait until you didn’t have to jump through hoops to get product? Kindly share your worst launch experience in today’s Coffee Talk!

Coffee Talk #315: Mobile & Social Games Are Like X-Men

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, crazy earthquakes and tsunamis, the iPad 2 launch, or legal issues derailing Floyd Mayweather’s career, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

During my GDC 2011 networking (i.e. drinking and talking with people), I noticed an irrational hatred for mobile and social games. There was a small, but vocal, percentage of people I spoke with that hate this segment of gaming for no good reason. They were spread over a variety of jobs in the business too — developers, publishers, marketers, journalists, etc. After one fellow mentioned that he didn’t know why he hated mobile and social games, I replied, “So they’re like the X-Men? You hate and fear them for no reason?”

Don’t get me wrong, if you don’t like mobile and/or social games, that’s fine. The negative feelings I encountered were much more active than that — as if these kinds of games hurt the business or they weren’t “real” games. I really didn’t understand the sentiment. Why waste energy on actively hating mobile and social games? Isn’t it easier to focus on the games you like instead of expending negative energy? It seems silly to me.

Just to check myself, I wanted to get your thoughts on mobile and social gaming. Do you actively hate them? Do you not like them? Are you excited by the new and exciting things they bring to gaming? Or are they just kind of there and you ignore them? Share your feelings like a Care Bear and explain your stance (please)!

Completely Fascinated by the iPad 2’s Smart Cover

It’s totally overpriced, but I’m completely fascinated by the iPad 2 Smart Cover accessory. Check out the video above and you’ll see why. The design is just very, very clever. The magnetic latch gives the Smart Cover a seamless feel. The way it folds into a stand for two different viewing positions — one for typing and one for watching — is a piece of brilliant design. Still, $39 for a polyurethane cover and $69 for a leather cover is a lot to pay for something that isn’t a full protective case…but I’m sure that won’t stop Apple from selling millions of these things.

What do you think of the Smart Cover? Are you as charmed by it as I am? Or do you think it’s a woefully overpriced accessory?

Today’s Poll: Engraving Consumer Electronics Devices

So I’m getting an iPad 2 for work purposes. I should head to one of the two local Apple Stores and buy it so that I can quickly take video, do some benchmarks, and set it up. However, I don’t want to deal with any lines (it won’t be that bad, will it?) and I like to get my Apple products engraved. I think it’s cool that Apple let’s you add custom messages to its products.

What do you think? Is engraving cool or lame? Is it worth waiting an extra couple of days for a more personal touch? Kindly take today’s poll and discuss!

[poll id=”105″]

iPad 2 is Smaller, Faster, and Dual Wielding

At a recent press conference, Apple announced that the iPad 2 will be available in America on March 11, 2011. The new iPad features…

At a recent press conference, Apple announced that the iPad 2 will be available in America on March 11, 2011. The new iPad features:

1GHz Dual-core A5 processor
Lighter and thinner design — 0.34″, which is thinner than the iPhone 4!
Dual cameras — rear for pictures/video and front for video chat
Mobile chip for AT&T and Verizon service

It looks like a beautiful and powerful upgrade, but some people are bummed out that it still uses the same screen resolution as the original iPad. Tech enthusiasts were hoping for double the resolution and a look similar to the vaunted “Retina Display” on the iPhone 4.

I’m probably going to get one for work purposes, but I really wish the resolution were higher. How about you? Anyone interested in buying an iPad 2?

Coffee Talk #311: Apple Aggressively Invading Gaming?

There’s an interesting Apple vs. Nintendo buzz at GDC 2011. A lot of people in the business thought it was brazen or dickish for Apple to hold its iPad 2 presser around the same time as Nintendo’s GDC keynote…

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, dinner/drinks with your favorite developers, hand numbered tequila, or Charlie Sheen’s ridiculousness, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

There’s an interesting Apple vs. Nintendo buzz at GDC 2011. A lot of people in the business thought it was brazen (at best) or dickish (at worst) for Apple to hold its iPad 2 presser around the same time as Nintendo’s GDC keynote. It’s really bigger than that though. Apple has become a major player in games through the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad…and it looks like the company is being even more aggressive about staking its claim in the business. But is it going too far?

In addition to Apple’s last-minute iPad 2 scheduling, the company is holding its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) during the same time as E3 2011. Apple has used the event to announce new iPhone models and everyone expects the iPhone 5 (or whatever it’ll be called) to make its debut at WWDC 2011.

Apple stole a lot of Nintendo’s spotlight with its iPad 2 announcement. The Nintendo keynote has been scheduled for months, while the iPad 2 event was announced last week. There were a lot of mainstream television crews covering the iPad event. You figure some of those crews would have been covering the Nintendo keynote — full of 3DS wonder — if they didn’t have to choose. Similarly, I expect the iPhone 5 announcement to take some of E3 2011’s thunder away. Gaming and tech enthusiasts will follow both shows, but the mainstream consumer will likely hear more about the iPhone 5 than any E3 2011 announcements.

What do you think of the matter? Is Apple being “dickish” with its scheduling? Is it being too aggressive with its expansion into the gaming world? Or is it being smart? Maybe Apple doesn’t even care and is just doing things on its own schedule while living in the reality distortion field. I’ve heard GDC attendees call Apple’s presser “underhanded”, “shifty”, and “dickish”. I agree with those assessments, but I’m completely biased since I love the gaming business and GDC. I’d love to hear your opinion on the matter. Please let me know!

[poll id=”104″]

Coffee Talk #309: What Do You Want to See in the iPad 2?

The iPad 2 is set to be announced on March 2, 2011. Today I wanted to see if any of you are interested in an iPad 2 and what features you’d like it to have. While I’m sure it’ll have…

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the Miami Heat’s inability to beat elite teams, Charlie Sheen’s insane interviews, or when Miley Cyrus will go all Britney Spears, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

The iPad 2 is set to be announced on March 2, 2011. The original was a crazy success, selling 15-million units in less than a year. Some analysts have pegged the sequel to sell twice as much. Today I wanted to see if any of you are interested in an iPad 2 and what features you’d like it to have. While I’m sure it’ll have a front-facing camera, more RAM, and a faster CPU, it looks like it won’t have the feature I really want — double the resolution.

On a side note, what’s up with Apple taking all the heat away from gaming conferences? The iPad 2 announcement will be during Game Developers Conference 2011 and the rumor is that Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (think iPhone 5 announcement) will take place during one of the same days as E3 2011.

So have at it (please)! What features do you want to see in the iPad 2?

Coffee Talk #308: Happy Birthday Steve Jobs!

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Deron Williams going to the New Jersey Nets, Alyssa Milano’s place in the MILF rankings, or your favorite blue beverage, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Happy birthday to Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who turned 56-years old today. Jobs is one of the most fascinating people that has existed in my lifetime. His approach to technology is unique and nobody gets people more passionate about silicon than he does. In addition to his incredible work at Apple, Jobs bought Lucasfilm’s Graphics Group and turned it into the hugely successful Pixar Animation Studios. It’s crazy that he helped kick off two companies that are tremendously successful from a financial standpoint and made a huge cultural impact.

To me, he’s just so interesting and different from his peers. I guess that’s something a lot of my heroes have in common. My dream dinner for four would be with Muhammad Ali, John Lennon, and Steve Jobs. How awesome would that be?!?

Anyway, let’s honor Steve Jobs today and share some stories. What’s your favorite thing about Jobs? Is it a specific product he announced? The time he asked John Sculley if he wanted to stop selling sugar water at Pepsi and join him at Apple to change the world? What’s your favorite Jobs catchphrase?